Best 7 Things to do in Plasencia
The city of Plasencia can be found in the western regions of Spain. This town is well known for its medieval buildings and fortress. The old walls are very well preserved and serve as a major attraction. We will help you find out the best things to do in Plasencia for a good holiday.
As Plasencia is located in mainland Spain it’s often left out as a tourist spot. People who visit Spain love its coastal towns and beaches. However, this little town is full of life and history. Although there is no beach, you will find a lot of things to see in Plasencia.
What is the best time to visit Plasencia?
In Spain, the main tourist season is from July to August. These are the hottest months when travelers will enjoy the warm sea and a beach holiday. However, when you are thinking about visiting Plasencia, summer is not the best time.
When you are traveling in these mainland regions of Spain, you will have a lot of sightseeing and walking to do. This can be really tiring in the hot Spanish summer. This is the reason, that the best time to visit Plasencia is spring. The weather is already warm and everything will start to turn green. Just perfect for some sightseeing in Plasencia.
Things to do in Plasencia
1. Catedral de Plasencia
Plasencia is full of medieval structures. When you are set out to discover them all, the Cathedral of Plasencia is the perfect place to start your journey. It’s located on the outskirts area of the Old Town, meaning that you will get great access to all Plasencia attractions from the cathedral.
This impressive and grandiose cathedral is actually two buildings at once. Not long after Plasencia was founded, work begins to build a cathedral into the city. The finished building was impressive by itself, however as time passed and new rulers came, it was decided that the city needs a new cathedral.
Instead of simply destroying the old one, they started building the new cathedral as an extension, replacing the old one piece by piece. Lucky for us, the construction never actually finished, this is why today, we can marvel at the main facade, that’s the part of the original design. The two cathedrals form a unique building as one.
2. Museo Etnográfico Textil Pérez Enciso de Plasencia
You will find the Textile Museum of Plasencia right next to the cathedral. If you like museums this is a very good place to learn about local textile produce and regional clothing.
This museum is free to visit and has a total of three exhibition floors. As a free things to do in Plasencia we can highly recommend checking it out.
3. Palacio del Marqués de Mirabel
Head over to Plaza de San Vicente Ferrer from the cathedral to check out Palacio del Marqués de Mirabel . It’s a great example of city palaces built during the 15th century. It is the home of the Zúñiga family.
Usually, these buildings change owners during the ages, however, even today, the Zúñiga family is the owner of Marqués de Mirabel. On the inside, there is a public hunting museum, which you can visit for a small fee.
4. Plaza Mayor de Plasencia
The center of life in Plasencia is on Plaza Mayor. Around the square, you will find many restaurants and bars. During the night, the square comes alive as people go out and have some fun.
You can also find the Town Hall on this square. The building was constructed in the 16th century. It has a bell tower, with a sculpture that hits the bell indicating what hour it is.
5. The Old City Wall
Most of the Old Town of Plasencia is enclosed by the city wall. Even today it’s well preserved. You can spend some time exploring the city wall and bastions. They stand proud as a reminder of the past and bear historical significance.
You can even climb onto the wall at certain points. Climbing onto the city wall will provide excellent photo opportunities and great views.
Additionally, as one of the things to do in Plasencia, you can think about exploring all the city gates. The old wall still has multiple city gates standing as well. They provide interesting entry points to the old town.
6. Acueducto de Plasencia
You can find the Aqueducts of Plasencia just outside of the city walls. They were built in order to supply the city with water. It’s a simple one arch aqueduct based on the Roman design.
7. See the birds of Parque de Los Pinos
After an intensive day of sightseeing, it’s great to slow down a little. Parque de Los Pinos provides an excellent opportunity for this. It has small trails for walking around and interesting plans.
One of the main features of this park is its birds. There are ducks flying around and enjoying the water and even peacocks running around freely in the park.
How many days to spend in Plasencia?
The city of Plasencia is full of historic buildings. If you are in a hurry and have a tight schedule, you can finish it off one day. This means, that it can be a perfect day-trip opportunity when you have a vacation in the area.
If you want to take your things to do in Plasencia itinerary slow, then a weekend in the city is recommended. You can fully enjoy the attractions and explore all the corners of the old town. Try local cuisine and relax at the bars during the evening.
How to get to Plasencia?
When you are traveling to Plasencia, you have to make an air ticket reservation to Madrid. It’s the closest international airport to the city. As Madrid is one of the biggest airports in Spain you should have no trouble finding a direct flight.
In order to get to Plasencia from Madrid, we recommend taking the train. There is a direct railroad connection between the cities. The journey takes around 2 hours 40 minutes. The railway station is called Plasencia-Ciudad and you can take the train going to Caceres or Sevilla-Santa Justa.
A direct bus is also available from Madrid by the Cevesa bus company. However, as the bus ride is 3 hours 30 minutes, we think that the train is a much better option.
